Closure assembly for vacuum bottles



Dec, 31, 1963 J. DARMSTADT ETAL 3,115,931

CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR VACUUM BOTTLES Filed April 8, 1959 y j t FIG. I

LER

'INVENTOR LOUIS J. DARMS GEORGE W. FUL

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice Iii lSfilhl Patented Dec. 31, 1963CLUSURE ASSEMBLY Ftlll VACUUM BOTTLES Louis 3. Darmstadt, Norwich, andGeorge W. Fuller,

Hampton, (Conn, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

King-@ecley Thermos Co., Ann Arbor, Mich, a corporation oi MichiganFiled Apr. 8, 195?, Ser. No. 804,956 3 Claims. (6i. 21513) Thisinvention relates to removable closure means for vacuum bottles and,more particularly, to a closure assembly which includes a seatingelement positioned on the neck of a vacuum bottle filler and a removablestop per element adapted to be threaded onto the seating element toclose cit the opening in the filler. The new assembly is characterizedin that the seating element includes special sealing means, separatefrom its threads, which are adapted to engage the stopper element to cooperate in effecting the seal.

Vacuum bottle closure means have been developed heretofore which includea separate annular member secured to the end of the bottle between thecasing and the eck of the filler to provide means for attaching aremovable stopper which closes oil the opening in the filler. inconventional designs, the outer circumferences of such an annular memberprovides a seat which receives a pcripheral flange on the stopperelement to hold the stopper element in place. The stopper element isusually snapped into this seat. Thus, the elements of a two-piececlosure assembly of this type act together such that the removableelement can be attached to the affixed annular element to seal thebottle.

it is the purpose of the present invention to improve upon vacuum bottleclosure means of this design by providing a closure assembly wherein theelements cooperate to effect a more dependable seal. In the contemplatedclosure means, the annular seating element afiixed to the bottle doesmore than merely provide means for receiving the removable stopperelement. t. also includes separate sealing means which are adapted tocoact with the stopper element to provide a double-sealing effect. Thus,fiuids contained within a vacuum bottle filler sealed according to thisinvention are confronted between the removable stopper element and theafiixed seating element with a continuous circumferential seal which isindependent of the threaded attachment between the elements.

According to the invention, the novel closure assembly is contemplatedin combination with a vacuum bottle which includes a filler having aneck portion defining a smooth, generally cylindrical opening. Theclosure means comprise an annular seating element of resilient materialdisposed about said neck portion in sealing engagement therewith.External threads are formed on the outside diameter of the seatingelement. A stopper element of resilient material is also included havingan internally threaded circular peripheral fiange portion which isadapted to be received by the external threads on the seating element.This stopper element includes a substantially cylindrical, central plugportion which is adapted to extend into and seal the opening in the neckportion of the filler when the stopper element is threaded onto theseating member. Annular sealing means are also included in the seatingelement which are independent of its external threads and are adapted toengage the stopper element to cooperate in eifecting the seal.

Preferred embodiments of the new closure assembly are describedhereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1is an elevation partly in section of: the upper portion of a vacuumbottle employing the closure assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section of the removablestopper element of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in the section of the upper portion of a vacuumbottle employing another form of the closure means of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation in section of the upper portion of a vacuumbottle employing a third form of the closure means or" the invention.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the vacuum bottle includes an outercylindrical casing it) engaging at its top and ex ternally threadedcollar 11 which is adapted to receive an internally threaded cup-likecover element (not shown). Around the upper circumference of thethreaded collar 11 is an edge portion 12 extending substantiallyradially inwardly and defining an opening in the casing.

Positioned substantially coaxially within the casing it) is a thin,double-walled glass filler 14. The filler includes a neck portion 15 atone end thereof defining a smooth generally cylindrical opening 16 whichcommunicates with the interior of the tiller. At the bottom of thecasing, the lower end of the filler 14 is positioned by any conventionalmeans in such a manner that the neck portion 15 extends up to theopening defined by the edge portion 12 of the collar 11. It is thefunction of the contemplated closure assembly both to secure the neckportion 15 of a filler 14 in its coaxial position at the open end of thecasing 10 and to prevent fluids contained in the filler from leaking outof the bottle or into the space between the casing and the filler.

An annular seating element 18 is included in the assembly having a baseportion 1 .9. The seating element 18 is formed from a resilient materialsuch as plastic, natural or synthetic rubber, or a similar elastomericcomposition. The inside diameter of the base portion 19 is normallyslightly less than the outside diameter of the end of the neck portion15 of the filler 14, so that it must be expanded to receive the neckportion of the filler, in sealing engagement therewith, as shown inFIG. 1. The edge portion 12 of the collar 11 overlies the outer surfaceof the base 1? of the seating element when the bottle is assembled. Bythis construction, the base portion 19 locates the neck portion 15 ofthe filler 1d concentrically at the open end of the casing and alsocreates a seal around the neck portion of the filler to prevent leakageof fluids into the space between the casing and the filler.

The seatin element 18 has integral external threads 21 formed about itsupper portion .22 above the casing and filler. An integral, circularflap 23 extends inwardly and downwardly from the upper portion 22 of theseating element in such a manner that the lower end of the flap extendsinto the opening 16 of the filler. Because of its normal resiliency, thefiap 23 presses against the neck of the filler with suflicient force toform a seal.

The removable member of the new closure means consists of a stopperelement 25 of resilient material of the same composition as the seatingelement 1%. A circular peripheral flange 26 is provided around thecircumference of the stopper element 25 and has internal threads 27formed on its inner wall. These internal threads 27 are adapted toengage the external threads 21; on the seating element 18. The stopperelement 25 includes a plug 29, which is connected to the flange 26 by aweb 3t? and projects downward therefrom. The plug 29, in the embodimentof FIG. 1, is of hollow construction opening outwardly on the top of thestopper element.

It is intended that the lower end of the plug 29 extend downwardly tosuch an extent that it enters into the opening 16 in the neck of thefiller when the stopper element 25 is fully threaded onto the seatingelement 18. As seen in FIG. 2, an annular flexible lip 32 is provided atthe lower end of the plug 29 and extends substantially radially outwardfrom its lower edge. An G-ring member 33 of 3 resilient materialencircles the lower end of the plug 29 and is held in position by thelip 32.

When the stopper element 25 is threaded onto the seating element 18 toseal the vacuum bottle, the lip 32 on the plug 29 rides over the ilap 23on the seating member l3 and is bent around the ring 33 as shown inFIG. 1. Because both the flap 23 and lip 32 are formed of resilientmaterial they deform when squeezed against one another to provide aparticularly effective seal.

Turning now to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the upper portion of the vacuumbottle shown includes a conventional casing as and filler ii. The casingsupports a collar 42 spaced from a neck portion 43 on the filler bymeans of a seating element 44. Included in the seating element 44 areexternal threads 45 and a flap id extending inwardly and downwardly intothe opening defined by the neck portion 43 of the filler. A removablestopper 43 is provided having internal threads 49 formed on the outerflange Sll to be received by the external threads 45 on the seatingelement 44. The stopper also includes a central hollow plug 52 adaptedto extend into the opening in the filler when the stopper is threadedonto the seating element. As in the previous embodiment an -ring 53encircles the lower end of the plug portion 52 and is held in positionby a circular, flexible lip 54. When the plug 52 enters the opening inthe neck of the filler, the lip 54 cooperates with the flap 46 to effecta particularly dependable seal as before.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the plug 52 of the stopper 48 is connectedto the flange 56 by means of a web 56 which extends unbroken across thetop of the stopper. Hence, the hollow plug 52. is closed oil at itsouter end and defines a completely enclosed insulating cavity 57. Thismodification permits fluids contained in the filler to be maintained atthe desired temperature relative to that of the ambient air for greaterperiods of time. In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, theplug 52 is separate from the web 56 and is attached thereto by a flange58.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the vacuum bottle again includes a casingmounting a collar 61 surrounding a neck portion 62 of a conventionalfiller 63. The neck portion 62 of the tiller is spaced from the collar61 by means of a base flange 64 of a seating element 65. In thisembodiment, the base flange 64 is gripped by a crirnped rim 66 on thecollar 61, rather than by being squeezed against the neck portion of thefiller.

The seating element 65 prevents leakage of fluid into the space betweenthe casing and the filler by means of a resilient primary flap 63 and asecondary flap 69 extending from the upper and lower ends of the seatingelement into sealing engagement with the top and outside surfacesrespectively of the neck portion 62 of the filler. To provide thedesired double-seal the upper periphery of the seating element 65 isshaped to define a sealing edge 71. Again, external threads 72 areformed on the outside diameter of the seating element 65.

A removable stopper element 74 is adapted to be thread ed onto theseating element 65 by means of internal threads 75 formed around theinside of an integral flange l portion '76. The stopper 74 includes acentral hollow plug portion 77 which is connected to the flange '76 by aWeb 78. The open end of the plug 77 may be closed by a cap '79 toimprove its insulating characteristics as in the embodiment of FIG. 3.

When the stopper 74 is threaded onto the seating element 65, the plug7'7 is forced into the opening in the neck of the filler, as shown inFIG. 4, and the sealing edge 71 on the seating element engages theunderside of the Web 78. Hence, the seating and stopper elements in thisembodiment again cooperate to provide sealing means which are separateof the threaded attachment means. Since these elements cooperate at apoint removed from the filler, however, the seating element 65 isequipped with the primary and secondary flaps 6t; and 69 to engage thefiller outside of the opening to prevent leakage of fluid into the spacebetween the casing and the filler. 7

We claim:

1. In combination with ,a vacuum bottle which includes a filler having aneck portion defining a smooth generally cylindrical opening, a closureassembly for said opening comprising an annular seating element ofresilient material disposed about said neck portion in sealingengagement therewith, a removable stopper element of resilient materialhaving a substantially cylindrical plug portion extending centrallytherefrom adapted to enter into and seal the opening of said neckportion when said stopper element is forced into said seating element,said seating element including an integral flexible flap extendingcontinuously about the inside of the seating element and into theopening of said filler with said flap being squeezed between the plugportion of said stopper element and the inside of the filler when saidstopper element is forced into said seating element, a deformableresilient ring member encircling the lower edge of said plug portion,and said plug portion having an annular flexible lip extendingintegrally from its lower edge, said lip holding said ring member inposition on said plug portion and said lip being adapted to be squeezedbetween the flap on said sealing element and said ring member when saidstopper element is forced into said seating element whereby said ringmember is sealed from the interior of said filler.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein an outer casing enclosessubstantially all of said filler but said opening, and means areprovided for securing said annular seating element in position about theneck portion of said filler.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the central plug portion of saidstopper element is hollow and defines a completely enclosed insulatingcavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,572,383 Porter Oct. 23, 1951 2,817,452 Bramming Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 789,935 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1958

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A VACUUM BOTTLE WHICH INCLUDES A FILLER HAVING ANECK PORTION DEFINING A SMOOTH GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL OPENING, A CLOSUREASSEMBLY FOR SAID OPENING COMPRISING AN ANNULAR SEATING ELEMENT OFRESILIENT MATERIAL DISPOSED ABOUT SAID NECK PORTION IN SEALINGENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, A REMOVABLE STOPPER ELEMENT OF RESILIENT MATERIALHAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL PLUG PORTION EXTENDING CENTRALLYTHEREFROM ADAPTED TO ENTER INTO AND SEAL THE OPENING OF SAID NECKPORTION WHEN SAID STOPPER ELEMENT IS FORCED INTO SAID SEATING ELEMENT,SAID SEATING ELEMENT INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL FLEXIBLE FLAP EXTENDINGCONTINUOUSLY ABOUT THE INSIDE OF THE SEATING ELEMENT AND INTO THEOPENING OF SAID FILLER WITH SAID FLAP BEING SQUEEZED BETWEEN THE PLUGPORTION OF SAID STOPPER ELEMENT AND THE INSIDE OF THE FILLER WHEN SAIDSTOPPER ELEMENT IS FORCED INTO SAID SEATING ELEMENT, A DEFORMABLERESILIENT RING MEMBER ENCIRCLING THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID PLUG PORTION,AND SAID PLUG PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR FLEXIBLE LIP EXTENDINGINTEGRALLY FROM ITS LOWER EDGE, SAID LIP HOLDING SAID RING MEMBER INPOSITION ON SAID PLUG PORTION AND SAID LIP BEING ADAPTED TO BE SQUEEZEDBETWEEN THE FLAP ON SAID SEALING ELEMENT AND SAID RING MEMBER WHEN SAIDSTOPPER ELEMENT IS FORCED INTO SAID SEATING ELEMENT WHEREBY SAID RINGMEMBER IS SEALED FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID FILLER.